Four barbed spears
Solomon Islands - Bougainville Island
sold
EUR 1,400
Provenance
Dietmar Scheidt, Berlin, GermanySize
L: 171 cm - 230 cm
L: 67.3 inch - 90.6 inch
Description
Nippa palmwood, dyed in black and reddish brown, barbs (presumably from the wing-bones of the flying fox), fixed by fine grass fibre, densely wrapped and additionally reinforced with reddish mass, delicate plaited cuffs of orchid bast dyed in red and yellow, carved with a stylized figure in bas-relief “kagoi”, knob of leaf fibres closely pressed together called “uiro”, all but one shaft cut, barbs and wrapping with orchid bast dam. in parts, tips dam.;
“kagoi” is a spirit, and the carving certainly symbolises the spirit that gives the spear its deadly power. The knob called “uiru” represents the spirits dwelling.